Gutierrez cites award for America trip that ended Cruz Azul women's job

Raúl Gutiérrez said on a radio interview this week that he feels no regret about attending an honor ceremony for Club América, the direct rival of Cruz Azul. His presence at the event triggered the formal end of his tenure as head coach for Cruz Azul’s women’s team on October 17.

Gutiérrez clarified that he attended the festivities at the Estadio Banorte to receive an institutional award for his playing career. He distinguished this personal recognition from his operational duties as a manager, arguing that the event was separate from his professional obligations on the bench.

The coach argued that public reaction to his appearance was excessive. He stated that various sectors questioned his professional honesty over an event that did not involve his day-to-day management. He maintained that the versions circulating about the incident lacked real substance and distorted the values of his management style.

Despite the short duration of his time with Cruz Azul, Gutiérrez rated his experience as highly positive. He noted that the team played six official matches under his direction. He believes the methodologies introduced during those games established a strong foundation for the internal restructuring of women’s soccer in Mexico.

Gutiérrez revealed that the club’s apology to fans was at the request of the club’s executive board. The manager said he did not initiate the statement himself. He viewed the apology as a necessary step to manage social media tension and move forward with future projects in Mexican soccer.

The coach also provided his analysis of the men’s tournament standings. He predicted a highly competitive final phase due to the close proximity of teams at the top of the table. He highlighted the three-way tie for the lead among Cruz Azul, América, and Chivas Rayadas.

He stated that the simultaneous presence of the country’s most popular clubs at the top of the standings adds major appeal to the upcoming knockout stage.